(1) Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is in graphics data processing for computer systems; more specifically, the present invention is related to a method and apparatus for status communication between a graphics device for processing graphics data for display and its graphics drivers.
(2) Related Art
Presently available computer systems are typically equipped with a graphics device capable of processing graphics data for display on a display device. Graphics drivers of a graphics device typically generate instructions and data for the graphics device to process a next frame for display on a display device. The timing of generation as well as the type of instruction and data to be generated by a graphics driver for the graphics device to process is dependent on the graphics device processing status.
Currently, graphics device processing status is provided to the graphics driver through a processor which is required to access internal registers of the graphics device for the status information. This approach typically involves the processor sending a request and initiating numerous read operations to the graphics device requiring both the processor as well as bus time. The prior art therefore takes bus processing time away from other devices and processor time away from other applications.
A method and apparatus is therefore desired which obviate the need for the processor to perform reads to internal registers of a graphics device while still providing the graphics device status information to the graphics drivers.